The Red and Black

Issue date: 1/9/09 Section: Opinions

ZAID JILANI

For the past two years, I've been the University's student representative for Campus Progress, the youth wing of the Washington, D.C., think tank the Center for American Progress.

You may have heard of CAP - its president is currently leading President-elect Barack Obama's transition team.

From Feb. 6-8, Campus Progress will be holding an activism and journalism training summit in Atlanta at its first ever 2009 Southern Regional Conference. Confirmed speakers and trainers include Nation Magazine Washington editor and MSNBC contributor Chris Hayes and "Democracy Now!" host Amy Goodman.

I encourage everyone to apply for this great opportunity. Just slap the phrase "Campus Progress Southern Conference" into Google and apply before the Feb. 3 deadline to attend.

History tells us it's important not only to roll out of bed and vote on Election Day, but also to take part in activism to hold public officials accountable.

When President Franklin Roosevelt met with activists pushing for a progressive agenda, he famously told them, "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it."

Citizens around the country embraced Roosevelt's challenge. They organized labor unions, demonstrations, strikes and sit-ins that eventually forced Roosevelt's government to create the New Deal to lift the country out of the Depression and write a lasting social contract with the people.

When Lyndon Johnson was a senator, he wouldn't even vote for a bill outlawing lynching. When faced with the activism of the civil rights movement 10 years later, he signed the Civil Rights Act.

More recently, we can see this dynamic at work with Obama's cabinet choices.

It was originally reported that Obama was going to choose John Brennan, the chairman of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, as CIA director.

This horrified many in Obama's base because Brennan's INSA is not only a notorious conduit for intelligence and defense lobbyists, but Brennan himself is a shameless apologist for torture and extraordinary rendition.

Instead of simply despairing, people decided to act. They flooded national newspapers with letters to the editor opposing Brennan's nomination.

They got friendly newscasters such as Keith Olbermann to cover the story, and, yes, furiously blogged. Eventually, the public pressure got to the Obama camp. Brennan himself withdrew from the nomination, citing public outcry as the reason.

Obama, understanding the kind of backlash that appears when he fails to deliver on campaign promises, then named the anti-torture advocate Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

This shows when people get together to challenge special interests and "make" Obama do the right thing, they can win.

I'd like to suggest two great sources for activist resources. The first is commondreams.org, a news filter that feeds from thousands of different sources.

Not only does it cut through the celebrity garbage and give serious coverage of issues, but it also provides links to activist groups and public interest organizations that can be used to make a difference on those issues.

The second is Campus Progress, which you can access at campusprogress.org.

It allows you to network with thousands of other students working on issues such as ending the war, a fair Israeli-Palestinian policy, universal health care and fighting climate change.

It's time we take up Roosevelt's challenge and "make" our politicians do the right thing.

Let's hold them accountable and pull our country - and planet - out of the darkness.


- Zaid Jilani is a senior from Kennesaw majoring in international affairs.

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